Alicia and her strange pet
by Shorlixa
Summary: Kinda obvious from the title. About Alicia and her pet Shoyru Chyora. Gotta read more to find out the rest. No, Neopets does not belong to me. Fic Discontinued unless inspiration strikes
1. The Beginning

Chapter 1: The Beginning  
  
Alicia was a new owner in Neopia. She was a sweet young girl, and had decided not to create a Neopet, as she was not sure if she could look after one. She wandered around Neopia, familiarizing herself with the place.  
  
"No don't! Please don't leave me behind!" Alicia heard someone shout. Not one to ignore such a plea, she ran in the direction of the shout. Soon, she came to a building.  
  
'The Neopian Pound' a big sign outside read. Walking in, she noticed a young blue Shoyru crying bitterly in a cage. She approached him to try and comfort him.  
  
"What's the matter?" she asked. The Shoyru looked up, startled. There were tears streaming down his eyes.  
  
"My owner just abandoned me. He created me a week ago, then saw a limited edition pet and dumped me here." The Shoyru sobbed, "It's not fair! He already has three limited edition pets. He doesn't need another one!" Alicia felt very sorry for him.  
  
"What's your name? Mine's Alicia." She asked warmly.  
  
"It's Chyora. What does it matter to you anyway?" Chyora sniffed. At that moment, Dr_Death came up to her.  
  
"Hey girl, are you going to adopt that Shoyru?" he asked tiredly. She hesitated. Talking with a pet was okay, but adopting it was a different matter. Dr_Death noticed her indecision and shook his head. With a sigh, he turned away to tend to other people.  
  
"Wait!" Alicia called, "I want to adopt him." The Shoyru was so pitiful and it was just not in her heart to leave it in the pound.  
  
"That'll cost you 300np, still want him?" he asked without turning around. Alicia dug into her bag and took out 300np.  
  
"Here, take it. I want Chyora," she answered firmly. Dr_Death finally turned around.  
  
"A girl worthy of this pet," he murmured, smiling mysteriously. Before she could say anything, he thrust some papers to her and said, "Sign here, here and here. Keep this copy for yourself. You can take him home now."  
  
'That was strange,' she thought, leading Chyora away from the pound.  
  
Outside, Chyora skipped about happily. He had never thought that he would be adopted so fast. His owner was lagging behind, so he rushed back to her.  
  
"Why are you so slow? Let's go get something to eat, I'm dying." He suggested. Alicia reached into her bag and counted. She still had 200np.  
  
"All right, let's go. If you hurry we may get something from the food shop," she said. They rushed off, and were just in time to buy a Veggie Dog and some bubble gum. Chyora munched on them happily, while Alicia handed the shopkeeper 150np.  
  
They left the shop, and headed for Faerieland. Suddenly, Chyora tripped.  
  
"Oh you clumsy thing," she laughed. Chyora grinned sheepishly. Looking around, he saw that he had tripped over a bag of neopoints! Looking inside, he gasped. There was 1000np in the bag.  
  
"This is just enough to get a Neohome. Let's go get one!" Chyora cried.  
  
"What's a Neohome?" Alicia asked. Chyora looked at her in surprise. He launched into an explanation of Neohomes and their uses. Alicia shook her head and thought, 'Boy have I got a lot to learn. Chyora could sure teach me a thing or two.'  
  
1  
  
2 To be continued… 


	2. A Mystery

~Many thanks to Eien Aeolaro, Karma Leafbarer and karigan who reviewed my stuff. And thanks for the reminder. I completely forgot to do so. So here it is.~  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Neopets in anyway. Only Alicia, Chyora and certain elements in the story belong to me.  
  
Chapter 2: A Mystery  
  
It had been several months, and now Alicia sat in the comfort of her new sofa. Her pet Chyora was munching on some cookies and reading his newest book, 'Breathe'. There was a whole shelf full of books nearby, containing books like, 'The Hungry Little Caterpillar', 'Billy Blue Hat', '101 Neggs' etc.  
  
With some advice from her pet, she had gradually built up her fortune, and now had a whooping 100,000np in her bank. She had also renovated her whole Neohome and furnished it with new furniture.  
  
Still, Alicia had not forgotten what it was like to be poor, so every day, she went to the money tree to donate some items and np. The poorer Neopians flocked to her when she came, thanking her for her generosity and kindness.  
  
Earlier that day, she had met some owners who had also adopted pets. On hearing she had paid 300np for her pet, they thought it strange, as they had only paid 80np for their own.  
  
'I wonder why Chyora cost so much to adopt?' she thought, gazing at him. He had finished reading the book and it vanished in a puff of smoke. Lying down on the couch, he reached for another book.  
  
"Hey Alicia! This week's Neopian times is here!" the newspaper blumaroo called, tossing the Neopian times through her open window. Alicia reached out, and neatly caught the paper.  
  
Browsing through the paper, one headline caught her eye. 'Dr_Death Missing!' it said. The article outlined the fact that Dr_Death had been missing for several months. Shortly after working at the pound, he had gone out and never returned.  
  
At this she stopped short. Slowly, she counted back how long she had kept Chyora. She had adopted him several months ago. A chill ran down her spine when she realized that she might have been the last person to see Dr_Death.  
  
She continued to read the article:  
  
'…Neopian Police is looking for the tips on the whereabouts of Dr_Death. The pink Uni that works there was interviewed. "I have no idea where he might be. I believe he has been kidnapped. I appeal to them to release Dr_Death, he is a much-needed person in Neopia." She pleaded. Police are appealing to anyone with information to call them at…'  
  
Alicia stopped reading and thought hard. Was there any information she could give to the police? 'Probably not,' she thought, 'Just because I adopted Chyora around that time doesn't mean that I'm connected to the case.' At that moment, Chyora bounded up to her.  
  
"Hey Alicia, could you take me out? I'm tired of reading books." He asked. She nodded absently, and allowed herself to be led out.  
  
Chyora continued on, unaware that his mistress was distracted. He hummed happily and went to buy some food. A small sandwich pack was on sale, and he bought them quickly. Alicia followed behind, but her mind was not on the trip.  
  
"Let's go to the pound." She said abruptly.  
  
"The pound? Why? I don't want to go there!" Chyora cried.  
  
"I want to see something. Let's go." Alicia was adamant despite repeated protests from Chyora. She had to drag him all the way to the pound, and he refused to go in, and sulked about outside. She ignored him and went in.  
  
Inside was a scene of total mayhem. There were queues of people wanting to disown their pets and Neopets were out of cages, running about wildly in the pound. The poor pink Uni who worked there was overloaded, and almost on the verge of breaking down.  
  
"Hey!" Alicia cried. All heads turned to look at her. "What are all of you doing here? Are you so eager to disown your pet? Are your pets that bad? Have you no love for them?" She lectured every single one of those owners, and many were shamed into leaving. Only some owners stayed behind, firm in their determination to disown their pets. She pleaded with them to no avail, and watched sadly as their owners signed them off.  
  
The pink Uni at the desk only seemed surprised that there were no more people wanting to disown their pets. She seemed exhausted, and flopped down onto the table to rest. Alicia did not want to disturb her, and instead helped to coax all the Neopets back to their cages. She fed every single one of them with all she could.  
  
"Oh, thank you Miss. I'm so grateful for the help." The Pink Uni had woken up. Alicia greeted her with a smile.  
  
"It was nothing. I'm glad to help. You seemed so overworked." She replied.  
  
"Ever since Dr_Death went missing, I've had my hooves full in the pound. It seems like he is the only one who knows where everything is…I wish he would come back." The Uni said wistfully.  
  
"Do you know when he went missing? And why?" Alicia asked.  
  
"Oh, he went missing on Shoyru Day. I always remember, because he told me he had managed to let a young Shoyru get adopted on that day. It was sweet of that owner. He told me that the poor Shoyru had just been dumped, and perhaps because it was Shoyru day, another owner came right along and adopted him." The Uni rambled on. Alicia froze. No doubt the Uni was talking about her.  
  
"After that?" she ventured.  
  
"Oh, he told me he had to go out for a while. Something important, he said. Pity I never knew what was so important. It might have helped with the case." The Uni looked as if she was about to cry. Alicia interrupted hastily.  
  
"Why don't I come and help you. I love Neopets, and I would love to work here. I can come every day except for weekends." Alicia volunteered.  
  
"Oh thank you so much. I could really use the help. By the way, my name is Teena. What's yours?" Teena asked, extremely grateful.  
  
"My name is Alicia."  
  
And so she began her work at the pound, and her quest to find out the reason behind Dr_Death's disappearance.  
  
1 To be continued…  
  
~Please R/R! I wouldn't mind some ideas too. ^_^ ~ 


	3. Chyora

~Thank you for your reviews! I wanna thank:  
  
Karma Leafbarer – I'll keep everything you said in mind.  
  
By the way, I'm gonna do a bit more on Chyora. He is a main character too. ^_^ ~  
  
1  
  
2 Chapter 3: Chyora  
  
Chyora sulked outside the pound, suppressed emotions surged back to him, and memories floated about in his mind, teasing him with their knowledge.  
  
The Neopian Pound.  
  
His one most hated place. He would never forget how his owner drove him here, despite his crying and pleading, to be locked up in a cage. All for limited edition pets. He hissed in anger. Limited edition. What was so great about them? Only to be shown off like toys. The worse part about it, aside from the day being Shoyru Day, it was also his birthday.  
  
His birthday…  
  
*Flashback*  
  
A small blue Shoyru tumbled out of the egg. He looked about him curiously. His owner stared down at him, before picking him up.  
  
"Chyora. My Chyora." He murmured softly.  
  
The blue Shoyru gave a small yawn, and was soon asleep in the arms of his owner.  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
Tears sprang to his eyes. He had spent a full year with his owner. His first owner. All the time he had loved his owner with all his heart. Sure, his owner was obsessed with rare stuff, but he had never treated him bad before. Later, he had gone on to get some limited edition pets. So he was paid less attention to, but it still wasn't so bad. His owner liked to show off, and Chyora was neglected in favour of the limited edition pets. Still, Chyora never flinched at the treatment he received.  
  
Yet, he had been driven heartlessly to the pound, and his owner never once looked back.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"Come Chyora." Chyora complied meekly, but his heart was full of hope. Perhaps his owner had remembered his birthday, and was going to celebrate.  
  
"Follow me." Chyora had followed without question, wondering what was going on. When they neared the pound, he suddenly realized what was happening.  
  
"No! Please, I'll train harder. I promise!" He shrieked. His owner looked at him in annoyance, before grabbing him and dragging him along.  
  
"No, please. I beg you. Don't!" He cried, tears streaming down his eyes.  
  
  
  
"I don't want you. A new limited edition pet just came up. Since the rest are already limited edition pets. It's you." His owner explained matter-of- factly.  
  
"It's my birthday today! My birthday! How can you do this?" He screamed, thrashing about.  
  
"Chyora!" His owner chided, extremely annoyed. He gave the Shoyru a slap.  
  
Chyora stumbled back, his face stinging from the slap. He looked up in shock at his master. All the time, his owner had never hit any of them. He had been ignored, starved, but he had never hit him before. He cried bitterly, and was led blindly to the pound.  
  
He barely noticed getting locked in a cage. What he did notice was that his owner was leaving.  
  
"No don't! Please don't leave me behind!" he pleaded one more time. His owner walked on, never looking back. Dr_Death came over to comfort him.  
  
"Don't worry Chyora. He did not deserve you. You will find someone who will. Be patient. It is your birthday and Shoyru day. One twice blessed will never be forgotten." Chyora did not listen, and sat in his cage, weeping.  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
So Dr_Death was right. He had found a new owner after all. His new owner was nice, sweet, gentle and caring. As unlike his first owner as could be. Still, there was one thing he was doing that she didn't know about. He was training for the battle dome. Alicia had frowned upon it, feeling that Neopets should not be made to battle against each other. When he was ready, he would challenge his owner to a battle, and show him what a mistake he had made when he disowned him.  
  
He burned with a cold fury, body trembling with rage and grief. Unbidden tears trickled down his cheek, and he wiped them away irritatedly. He would prove his worth, and his owner would curse himself for refusing to accept him.  
  
2.1 To be continued…  
  
~Pls R/R. It is what inspires me to write some more. Ideas are welcome at all times.~ 


	4. Strange Discovery

~ Thank you Caroline and karigan for your reviews.  
  
Now that reflections are over, it's time to move on with the story! ~  
  
1  
  
2 Chapter 4: Strange Discovery  
  
"Hey Teena, is that how you sign off the pets?" Alicia asked, eyeing the stack of papers in her hooves.  
  
"Oh this? It's just to record down the names and stats of the pet. If someone wants to disown a pet, they just have to pay up, tell me the stats of the Neopets before dropping the pet off. If someone wants to adopt a pet, they just have to pick one, and then pay some Neopoints before taking the pet. It's quite simple actually." Teena replied. She slipped and the stack of papers went flying. Alicia rushed forward to help and the conversation was forgotten.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
They had finally got down a routine. Alicia was to look after the disowned Neopets and try to keep them well fed and happy. Teena was to look after the administration matters, like the adoption and disowning of a pet.  
  
"That will be 80 Neopoints. I hope you like your new pet." Teena said, handing over the pet Zafara to the new owner. Alicia watched, smiling happily, another Neopet with a happy life ahead of them. Even then, she felt like she should be noticing something. There was just something niggling her at the back of her mind.  
  
"Alicia?" She was startled out of her thoughts. "Could you please take this Chia to the cages?" Alicia nodded, and took the Chia inside.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Alicia was doing some spring-cleaning in the house. Chyora was helping too, and they had a fun time dusting forgotten areas of the house.  
  
"Oooo look at this! I think that it's the sweet you bought me 5 months ago!" Chyora cried, holding up the forgotten sweet. It had melted away, and all that was left was a gooey mess, with ants crawling over it.  
  
"Ewwww. How can you bear to touch it?" Alicia squealed. Chyora simply laughed and tossed it in the garbage bin. There was more laughter and surprise as forgotten items were found around the house.  
  
Alicia came upon some forgotten papers. She started reading them, and became so engrossed she didn't notice when Chyora sneaked up behind her and grabbed them.  
  
"Now what do we have here?" He said, smirking. He flew above her, reading the papers.  
  
"How nice, love poetry:  
  
Oh sweet person of my heart  
  
I belong to you and only you  
  
I place my life into your hands  
  
Knowing how well you will do" Chyora said, mimicking her voice.  
  
"Chyora!" Alicia yelled, horrified. He was having so much fun reading out the poetry, and did not look at where he was flying.  
  
*CRASH!!!!*  
  
He knocked right into a cupboard. The cupboard came tumbling down, and with it came all the books and papers that had been stored there. Chyora sat in the pile of books and papers, wincing.  
  
"Perhaps next time you'll know better than to start teasing me." Alicia tried to warn sternly, but burst into giggles. Chyora grinned, and brushed himself. He stared at the huge mess surrounding him.  
  
"It looks even worse than when we started out…" Alicia moaned.  
  
"I think I hear my pet pet calling. See ya!" Chyora called, before running out of the room.  
  
"Coward!" Alicia called after the retreating figure. He stuck out his tongue at her, before disappearing into another room. Alicia started giggling again. She looked at the mess and shook her head. Slowly, she sifted through the whole mess, sorting out books and papers.  
  
'Papers…' she thought, 'I remember something about papers…' She sat there, trying to remember. All the time, she was sorting out the mess, putting a pile of books on the left, and a stack of papers on the right. Incidentally, she looked at the next stack of papers she had picked up. She stopped short.  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
  
I will follow the instructions in the papers exactly and clearly when the time comes. I promise to protect Chyora, and not let any harm come to him. I shall resolve to fulfill my duty as best as my ability allows.  
  
Signed  
  
Alicia Lira  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
  
"What in the world?" Alicia exclaimed. She didn't remember signing anything like this. Then she remembered. Dr_Death had passed her some papers to sign when she had wanted to adopt Chyora. She had never bothered to read it, thinking that it was some administrative detail. She flipped to the next page.  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
  
Hello Alicia,  
  
If you're reading this, it should have been some time already. Several months, close to a year, at least. I hope you still have Chyora. He is a special pet, and I think that he will be happy with you. Simply because of the fact you were willing to adopt him. And if you did not disown him after getting tired of him, you truly deserve him. Also, I should think that I am not around. You should know who I am. Chyora was disowned, because one who knows no love cannot keep a pet such as him. It would be too much for him to bear. You, whose heart is pure and kind, have adopted him out of pity. Now, you take care of him as a matter of duty. When signing, you probably did not know what you were getting yourself into. I myself can't tell you much. I know, that is enough. When it is Shoyru Day, follow my instructions:  
  
Go to the place of fears forgotten  
  
Where many secrets lay hidden  
  
All shun it, they do not think of it  
  
For if they were around in its glory  
  
They would not want to see it now  
  
At that place find the creature  
  
That never stirs nor sleeps  
  
In it you shall find the hidden key  
  
For which to unlock the secret  
  
Of the past...  
  
In its truth he shall grow stronger  
  
With each second in passing  
  
He shall find his true power  
  
And with it he may fight  
  
His wishes shall be granted  
  
From the time of dusk to dawn  
  
And then when he has finally grown  
  
Then shall he decide the fate  
  
Of the world...  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
  
As Alicia read this, she became more and more surprised, and her eyes widened in disbelief. How had this gotten here? She would have never left this alone if she had known what it contained. She had never been more shocked in her entire life. It was starting to sound like something she read in fairy tales.  
  
"Brrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
The phone rang. Alicia looked at in surprise. She had just installed the phone, and no one knew her number yet. 'Who could it be?' she wondered, reaching for the hand piece…  
  
To Be Continued…  
  
~My first cliffhanger!!! So, who should be calling? I would love to hear your opinion on this in your reviews. Don't forget to R/R! ^_^ ~ 


	5. Questions

~Thank you karigan and waterfarie165 for your reviews. And waterfarie165, thanks for reviewing all my stories. It really made my day ^_^ ~  
  
Chapter 5: Questions  
  
"Brrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
The phone rang. Alicia looked at in surprise. She had just installed the phone, and no one knew her number yet. 'Who could it be?' she wondered, reaching for the hand piece. Picking it up, she spoke carefully.  
  
"Hello, may I know who you are looking for?" She asked politely.  
  
"Beewarre…Beewarre… Beewarre…Alicia…" The caller hung up. The voice had been cold and creepy, sending chills down her spine. She stared at the hand piece. The loud beep of the dial tone could be heard.  
  
"What was that about?" She whispered. She was very shocked, and her mind was still reeling from previous events. First, there was some strange letter that she had signed unknowingly, then, there was some peculiar poem that was telling her what to do. Now, she had this weird phone call. She was sure it had something to do with Chyora. But he was probably as clueless as she was. They kept no secrets from each other, so he would definitely had told her if he knew anything.  
  
"Hey Alicia, I heard the phone ring. Who was it?" Chyora asked, popping in.  
  
"Nothing. It was probably a wrong number." Alicia answered, "Definitely a wrong number." She repeated, trying to convince herself. If so, how did that someone or something know her name? She shivered.  
  
"Are you cold Alicia?" Chyora asked. She shook her head. She would have to think more about everything that had happened. She walked up and grabbed Chyora before he could sneak away.  
  
"Now my dear boy, you are going to help me clean up this mess." She said, dragging him into the room. Chyora let himself be dragged. 'I should have stayed upstairs…' he thought, sighing.  
  
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"Hey Teena, do you always charge 80np for the adoption of Neopets?" Alicia asked.  
  
"Of course. It's a standard pricing." Teena replied. (A/N: I know that isn't true. Just bear with me.)  
  
"Then why did I pay 150np…?" She muttered.  
  
"What was that? 300np!!! You mean, Chyora was adopted and you paid 150np?" Teena exclaimed. Her sharp ears had heard her words.  
  
"Yes, I adopted Chyora. Dr. Death told me that I had to pay 150np and sign some papers." Alicia admitted.  
  
"Papers? What papers? We have never made owners sign papers." Teena said in surprise.  
  
"All I know is that Dr_Death asked me if I wanted to adopt Chyora. I agreed, and he told me I had to pay 300np and sign some papers. I couldn't leave him here, so I agreed." Alicia explained.  
  
"That totally goes against out normal procedure. We have never done it this way before." Teena said, looking troubled.  
  
"Don't worry. I didn't mind paying so much. Chyora has been such a wonderful pet. I've had him for a long time. It has almost been a year now." Alicia said hastily.  
  
"A year? It has almost been a year since Dr. Death disappeared…" Teena said sorrowfully.  
  
"I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry." Alicia apologized. Then, she realized in shock that it had almost been a year since Dr. Death disappeared. And she had adopted Chyora. She still had a month to Shoyru Day, the time when the note has asked her to follow instructions. She shivered when she thought of the note. It reminded her of the phone call.  
  
"Let's get on with work. No rest for the weary." Teena sighed, as yet another bunch of owners came in to disown their pets.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Chyora smashed into Punchbag Bob. He finally went down, left with zero hit points. He smiled in satisfaction. All his training had finally paid off.  
  
"Mr.…Chyora, here is your trophy for defeating Punchbag Bob." A trophy appeared and landed in his waiting hands. He took the trophy and checked the time. Alicia still had several more hours to go at the…at work. He still had time.  
  
Checking through the list, he picked out another opponent: The Shadow Usul. The battle was slightly tougher, for she proved a good opponent. Still, he defeated her, and she lay on the ground, knocked out. He was sure he was ready now.  
  
"Hello, may I help you." The grundo at the counter asked.  
  
"I would like to challenge someone." Chyora answered.  
  
"Fill in this form. It will be sent to the pet you wish to challenge. Remember to answer all the questions." The grundo growled, handing over a piece of paper and a pen. Chyora took it, and filled out the name of his opponent, the owner, and preferred time and date of the match.  
  
"How long are you willing to wait?" He asked.  
  
"As long as it takes." Chyora replied and clenched his paws.  
  
1 To be continued…  
  
~ Yay! I got another chapter done. Hope you enjoyed it. Now you see that little blue button with the word 'Review' on it? Just…there. Go click on it and R/R!!! Thank you~ 


	6. Confrontation

~Thank you waterfarie165! I am very happy to have you as my reader.  
  
Sorry it took me some time to get this chapter u. I was busy, and I fell sick. I'll try and get my next bunch of chapters up ASAP. ~  
  
Chapter 6: Confrontation  
  
Alicia went back to her Neohome early. Her talk with Teena had troubled her, and she needed to think carefully. 'Why did everything have to be so confusing?' she thought in despair, thinking about Shoyru Day and the note. She still had a month to find out about everything.  
  
"Chyora! I'm back!" Alicia called.  
  
"Chyora?" She looked around the house. There was no one there. Her voice echoed eerily throughout her big Neohome. It suddenly felt very big and empty. Where was Chyora? 'He should be at home.' She thought worriedly. Then, she heard the door opening, and in walked Chyora…with a trophy? He froze on seeing her, guilt written over his face.  
  
Marching up, she took the trophy from his paws. Reading the words carefully, she was shocked at what she saw. "Congratulations on beating Punchbag Bob!" it read.  
  
"What-is-the-meaning-of-this?" She asked her voice cold with shock and anger.  
  
"I…I…" He stammered. He hadn't expected this. She was supposed to return two hours later. He lowered his head in shame, fidgeting uncomfortably. With a single gesture, she threw the trophy onto the ground. It shattered into pieces. Chyora flinched, regretting what he had done. He treasured his relationship with his owner very much, he did not want to ruin it. But it was too late.  
  
"I'm sorry." He whispered miserably. Alicia walked off without another word. He stared at the broken fragments on the ground. Close to tears, he carefully swept them up, tossing them into the dustbin.  
  
Alicia was extremely angry. Her own Neopet had deceived her. She hated the idea of Neopets fighting, and had made it very clear. She did not want Chyora to go to the battledome. Yet he had done so. She was so disappointed. She thought that she could trust him. She picked up the phone and made a call.  
  
"Teena? Sorry to bother you now, but something's cropped up. I can't go to the pound for sometime. How long? I'm not quite sure. A month at least. I'll try to come back as soon as possible. I know, its bad timing, but this is really important. Thanks Teena Goodbye." She cleared up some matters. Now Chyora wouldn't have the opportunity to go to the battledome. Still boiling with anger, she decided to take a stroll. It would help her to cool down.  
  
Coming out of the room, she noted that the trophy fragments had been swept up. 'Probably to repair it.' She thought maliciously. She still couldn't get over the fact that Chyora had betrayed her trust in him. She went out of her house, locking the door behind her.  
  
Chyora went into his room. Alicia had given him his own room several months ago. He had been ecstatic when she had handed the keys to his room. The room itself had been made of the finest material a Neohome could be made of. His was the only room to enjoy such luxury. It was to be his own private room, which he could decorate in any way he wanted.  
  
The walls had been painted black with silver stars speckled on it. A poster of his favourite band was plastered on the door (facing inside). His comfy bed, in his favourite style, lay in the room, blankets and pillows arranged nicely by the robot Acara she had bought for him. There was a CD player and a whole shelve, neatly organized, full of his favourite songs. Boxes to fill with trinkets, a computer, games…he had everything he could ask for. All of it she had bought for him. And he had betrayed her.  
  
He flung himself onto his bed, blinking away his tears. He really didn't mean to do that. He was just so desperate to beat his previous owner. He wanted to prove himself, to show that he was worth something. He wanted to have revenge. Extremely unhappy, he lay on his bed and cried himself to sleep.  
  
Alicia sprinted away, trying to burn up the anger she felt. A quick glance told her she had left her Neohome far behind. She slowed down her pace, but still continued to walk rapidly. Finally, she stopped near a big tree, panting.  
  
'Why? Why did this have to happen?' She thought sadly. She sat near the edge of the tree and cried. She cried long and hard, letting out her sadness and rage. She slammed her fists into the hard bark of the tree, not caring that it hurt.  
  
"Here." A kind voice said. Looking up though blurred eyes, she only saw the handkerchief offered to her.  
  
"Thanks." She mumbled, wiping her face. She didn't even notice when the chemicals in the handkerchief kicked in and she faded into darkness.  
  
"Too easy." A dry voice said. The figure picked her up easily and in a flash of light disappeared.  
  
To be continued…  
  
~Hey readers, please R/R. I need the inspiration. Please? Thank you very much. ~ 


	7. A foe, friend and meeting

~Arigato Ni'khali/Karra and waterfarie165 for reviewing. I guess both stories are similar, but there is always a main character, and it so happens we both use a blue Shoyru from a pound adopted by a female owner. Coincidence. Pure coincidence. ^_^ As to whether Chyora beats his owner in the battledome…that is something which is not confirmed. I love Shoyrus too. They are sooo cute! ~  
  
Chapter 7: A foe, friend and meeting  
  
Chyora sat nibbling on some Neoflakes. He had tried going out, but the door was locked. He understood that Alicia was grounding him, and giving him the cold shoulder too. She hadn't returned home for three days. Naturally he could have left by opening a window, but his guilt kept him in the Neohome.  
  
-Knock Knock-  
  
"Hello? Is there anybody here?" A voice called. Chyora quickly put the Neoflakes back into the fridge and went to the window.  
  
"I'm sorry, but we aren't taking any visitors right now. I'll be happy to take a message though." Chyora answered, sticking his head out of the window.  
  
"Okay then. If you're her only pet, this will concern you. The battledome challenge has been answered." The messenger tossed him an envelop before leaving. Chyora caught it half-heartedly. It was because of this that his owner was mad at him.  
  
Opening the envelope, he scanned the message.  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
  
Your challenge is accepted Alicia. Meet me at the battledome with your pet Shoyru.  
  
Signed  
  
Joshua  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
  
So, he got his wish. He would get to challenge his owner. With a sigh, he threw the envelope into the dustbin. The very thing he had yearned for he now hated. He just wanted Alicia to be back so that they could be friends again.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Alicia awoke in a dark room. She wondered for a moment how she had gotten here.  
  
"I see you have awakened." A cold voice echoed. Alicia looked around frantically. It was no use, the darkness was absolute, and the voice seemed to come from everywhere at once.  
  
"Are you afraid yet Alicia? If not, you should be." It growled sinisterly. Alicia screamed when she felt a cold hand caressing her face. She jerked back in fear, only to stumble and fall onto the cold floor. She scrambled away desperately.  
  
"Enjoy yourself Alicia. I promise it will be terrible." It gave a harsh laugh. A sudden flash of light illuminated the entire place before disappearing as quickly as it came.  
  
Alicia lay on the floor, stunned. There was no other sound besides her ragged breathing. Feeling around blindly she nearly screamed when her hands came in contact with a moist surface. There was a loud cough.  
  
"Hello Alicia." A raspy voice called.  
  
"How do you know my name?"  
  
"Everyone around here knows your name. You're Alicia Lira, owner of the Twice Blessed." Alicia was startled.  
  
"Twice Blessed? What's Twice Blessed?" She heard the creature start wheezing again. She thought that it was choking, but later realised that it was laughing.  
  
"You're the owner of the Twice Blessed, and you don't know it? Didn't my brother tell you anything?" It wheezed.  
  
"Your brother? Who is your brother?" Alicia asked, getting more and more confused.  
  
"What? You can't tell who he is just looking at me?" The voice sounded faintly put off.  
  
"I can't see a thing in this darkness." She snapped. There was a hiss and a croak, before Alicia suddenly found that she could see. Gazing around, she saw…  
  
"Dr_Death?"  
  
"Nope. You're confusing me with my brother." He chuckled. Looking at him more carefully, she realised that aside from the white coat that Dr_Death wore, he looked exactly like him.  
  
"You're confusing me with Tyro. I'm Troy."  
  
"Tyro? Who is Tyro?"  
  
"More commonly known as Dr_Death if you prefer. But why are we wasting time talking about this? I have to get you out of here before it comes back." And Alicia found herself being pushed away. Troy knelt down and brushed his hands over the floor. A hole appeared, with stairs leading down. He gestured for Alicia to enter and she did.  
  
Inside, Troy turned around and sealed the hole behind them. He silently guided her through the tunnel and she followed. She didn't know how long it was before Troy finally stopped.  
  
"This is it." He whispered. Alicia saw him touch his hand to the wall. It silently slid away to reveal another room. She was ushered in and the wall closed behind her.  
  
"We can talk more freely in here." Troy said. He sat on the floor, seeming relieved. Alicia didn't do anything for a while, still mulling over what had happened.  
  
Suddenly, a roar echoed in the room. It seemed that the very walls shook with the fury of the cry. Troy bolted up immediately.  
  
"You've been discovered! I have to get you out." He went to a small cupboard in the room, and rummaged through it. Soon, he pulled out a vial triumphantly.  
  
"Drink this. You'll be teleported out of this place. You must find my brother. He is in hiding right now, but if you go to the battledome, you might meet him. It is extremely vital that you find him. He'll explain everything to you." He thrust her the vial, before leaving the room.  
  
Alicia was speechless. In a short span of time, her whole life had been turned upside down. With her getting kidnapped, and now being rescued by someone who was Dr_Death's brother. She never knew that he had a brother. She looked at the vial.  
  
"Well, he seemed like a good guy." She opened the vial and downed the contents. The last thing she remembered was a slight giddiness before darkness overtook her once more.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Chyora was getting worried. It had been a week since Alicia had left him in the Neohome. Sure, she was angry, but she wouldn't be angry for that long. It was absolutely unlike her to simply disappear. He had made several calls to her friends, but no one had seen her.  
  
-Knock Knock-  
  
"Hello? Is there anyone here?" A voice called. It sounded familiar to him. Sticking his head out of the window, he was shocked to see Joshua. It was his owner…or rather his ex-owner. Joshua turned around and saw Chyora.  
  
"Hey! Where's your owner? She was supposed to meet me in the battledome." He demanded rudely.  
  
To be continued…  
  
~Oh no! Chyora's first meeting with his ex-owner for almost a year. How will he react? What will happen? Want to know? Review to find out. ^_^ All reviews are appreciated. ~ 


	8. The Battledome

~ Here it is, Chapter 8 of my fan fiction. (Wow, eight already. I never dreamed it'd be so successful. ^_^) I tried to make it long, hence the time waiting. My thanks go out to karigan, Zimmy Kid and waterfarie165 for their reviews. ~  
  
Chapter 8: The Battledome  
  
Alicia awoke and found herself in a sunny place. In fact, it was too sunny. She yelped as the bright light entered her eyes. It was harsh light, and it hurt her eyes. Clenching them shut, she felt better at once. But she couldn't go around Neopia with her eyes shut. Groping around her pockets, she finally found what she was looking for.  
  
"Thank goodness I have this cool shades." She muttered, putting them on. Opening her eyes again, the light didn't hurt as much. She looked at her surroundings. It seemed slightly familiar. She was in Neopia again! She laughed in joy, putting the strange incidents of the previous days behind her.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Hey! I'm talking to you, you common Shoyru. Where's your owner? She asked for a battle, and I'm going to give her one." Joshua shouted. Chyora stared back blankly.  
  
"Are you a mute? Or just stupid? If so, let me say this again, slowly, GET- ME-YOUR-OWNER-NOW!" Joshua shouted. All Chyora could think of was that his ex-owner hadn't changed one bit. He was still as rude and arrogant as ever. Joshua lost his patience and walked up to Chyora.  
  
-Slap-  
  
Chyora stumbled back, stunned. His face stung from the slap he received. Just like the one he was given when he was disowned. Tears came to his eyes. It hurt, it really hurt. There were too many sad memories. He stifled back a sob.  
  
"What a pathetic Shoyru. Crying like a baby. I know my pets wouldn't do that. They're all strong, smart and limited edition. Unlike you common breeds." Joshua sneered, "When your owner comes back, I'm gonna make her bite dust in the battledome. And if you're the one fighting, the battle shouldn't last long."  
  
"You're going to eat your words, boy." A clipped voice called. Chyora looked up in surprise. That sounded like Alicia! He dashed out of the window. He had been so worried. Looking at Alicia, he found it strange that she was wearing some cool shades. The sun wasn't that bright, it was already the evening, and the sunlight was fading. But it didn't matter much. Alicia was back! He rushed up to hug her, but was stopped by Joshua.  
  
"So, you're that Alicia who so foolishly challenged me. Don't you know my record? I've gotten 100% scores in the battledome. I won the last battledome contest. What makes you think you can beat me?" He smirked. He snapped his fingers, and his Neopets came out. There were four, all looking thin and gaunt, but fierce. Each was a different limited edition pet, and had been painted with a unique colour. There was a white Tonu, a split Chomby, a starry Poogle and even a faerie Cybunny!  
  
Alicia smiled a cold, dangerous smile. Chyora shivered slightly, he had never seen that expression on her face. She walked up to Chyora, pushing Joshua aside. Stroking Chyora gently on his back, she faced Joshua.  
  
"Care to try me?" She asked in a soft, silky tone. Chyora was surprised. She had never talked this way before either. Still, he pushed his doubts aside. He was extremely happy to see her. A week was a long time, and he had really missed her.  
  
"Why you…? Let's go to the battledome right now and fight it out!" Joshua nearly screamed. His face was red with anger.  
  
"Ready when you are, boy." Alicia said. Joshua stomped off, towards the battledome, leaving them behind for a while.  
  
"Alicia? Are you really going to let me fight in the battledome?" Chyora asked, looking up in slight disbelief. Alicia nodded, giving him a small smile and nudged him along. He could barely contain his excitement. First, he was finally going to battle against his ex owner, and Alicia was supporting him. Even encouraging him to fight! He pinched himself, hard. It hurt, a lot.  
  
'It's not a dream,' he thought giddily, 'I'm really going to fight Joshua, and Alicia approves of it.' As they traveled to the battledome, his mind was in a whirl. He barely noticed the scenery around him.  
  
"Chyora, we're here." Alicia called. He snapped to attention. The Battledome. He was finally here. The pair marched purposefully to an arena. The fuming Joshua was already there.  
  
"Took you long enough." Joshua spat dryly. With a gesture, his starry Poogle entered the Arena. Chyora looked to Alicia, and she nodded. Chyora jumped into the arena. Their equipped weapons materialized, and each Neopet armed themselves. The battle began!  
  
The Poogle charged straight at him. Chyora flew out of reach with the 'Shoyru Hover'. He thrust forward with his Shoyru sword. The Poogle (A/N Let's name him Rian. It's sad to go without a name for too long) blocked with a heavy metal shield. Metal rang on metal, as the sword clanged against the shield.  
  
-Boom-  
  
Something exploded. Chyora and Rian were both thrown back by the impact. He (Chyora) lay on the ground, panting. A trickle of blood ran down his chin. Rian was not doing much better. The explosion had caused his shield to be broken in half. He too lay on the ground, eyes closed.  
  
"Get up you ungrateful creature. I didn't spend so much Neopoints training you so you'll get knocked out by a baby." Joshua hissed. Chyora looked to his owner for encouragement. None came. Alicia merely stood there, observing the battle with cold, hard eyes. He wondered greatly at the change that had come over her.  
  
A snarl brought him back to the battle. Rian had gotten up, and was barreling towards him. He brought up his shield, and he smashed straight into it. Chyora felt like his arm was breaking as Rian pushed harder and harder against the shield. He dug around, and came up with a battle card. 'This'll do.' He thought weakly, and threw the card at Rian. The Poogle's front leg burst into flames as the card reached it. He squealed and ran off, trying to put out the flames.  
  
Chyora was glad for the lifting of pressure. He thrust his shield aside. It had been bent into a strange shape. He would have to repair it later. Rian had finally put out the fire, but his burnt fur was evident. It left charred marks on his feet. Rian bared his teeth, showing off his sharp silver fangs that glinted in the moonlight.  
  
Both charged and met headlong. Rian was onto Chyora, biting, scratching and kicking away. Chyora too punched, scratched and kicked Rian and they were locked in close range combat. For a moment, their eyes met. And they understood each other. For they fought not because they were enemies, but because their owners wanted them to battle. Then, their eyes broke away from each other, and they separated.  
  
Now, Chyora looked upon Rian in sorrow. This poor Neopet had nothing to do with it. All he wanted to do was to get back at Joshua. He didn't want to make other Neopets suffer because of this. Then, he noticed something at the corner of his eye. A flurry of snowballs was flying towards him. But Rian hadn't done a thing…  
  
He curled up and defended himself as best he could as the snowballs came raining down on him. Some exploded, some covered him with water, some stuck to him like glue, others slowed down his movements. Through the wave of snowballs, he saw Rian looking as surprised as he was. He too was busy dodging and defending himself against the snowballs. Which meant the snowballs were not coming from him. But no one was supposed to interfere in a battle.  
  
Looking up, he was shocked to see a look of pure malice on Alicia's face. Her mouth was twisted into a cruel grin, and she looked like she laughing as she watched. Was that really Alicia, the sweet owner that he knew? The snowballs fell thick and fast, and soon he could not see anything besides snowballs, more snowballs and even more snowballs.  
  
"What is this? That's cheating!" He heard a muffled voice scream. There was only a cold laughter that followed the outburst. Trying to plough his way through the snowballs, he found Rian. The Poogle was in a bad shape, having suffered burns on his front legs, and now with snowballs raining all around, it was not helping. He winced as yet another snowball exploded on his back. Rian had gotten a snowball covering his eyes. Chyora, with a great effort, summoned a shield to protect themselves against the snowballs. It worked, but he could feel it weakening every second.  
  
Chyora wiped the snow from Rian's eyes. The Poogle coughed and spat out some snow. He tried to stand, but collapsed onto the ground. Chyora saw that his right hind leg was broken, or severely sprained at least.  
  
"Do you have any healing items?" He asked. Rian nodded, indicating a small bag. It was an infinite bag of Neggs. Tipping the bag over, two Neggs rolled out. It would give no more for a while. He passed one to Rian, who nibbled at it half-heartedly. Chyora took a bite, and felt better. The Neggs worked fast. He felt revitalized, but still weak. Rian was still limping, but at least he could get to his feet.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Rian asked. Looking around, the shield had almost given out completely.  
  
"We fight. We must find a way to escape this arena. It has become a deathtrap." Chyora answered. As if on cue, the shield was destroyed and the snowballs came raining in. Working together now, they blocked off as many snowballs as they could. Some hit, but with wonderful coordination, they managed to find the way out of the arena. Rian blew it open with a well- aimed blast and they rushed through, the snowballs still raining behind them. They fell to the ground, exhausted.  
  
A crowd of people had gathered on seeing the phenomenon. The Neopian police held them back, as they investigated the area. Some Neomedics attended to Chyora and Rian. He only noticed when the throbbing pain lifted. Looking at Rian, he gave him an exhausted smile, which he gladly returned.  
  
"I tell you, that owner cheated! She was laughing all the time! She sent those snowballs down!" A familiar voice screamed. Searching for the source of the noise, Chyora found that it was none other than Joshua. He was arguing with a Neopian officer, who was desperately trying to calm him down as he took a statement. Alicia stood nearby, seeming unaffected by the accusation. He tried to stand up, but a splitting headache forced him back down.  
  
"Drink this." He felt a vial held to his lips. He drank it down, and the headache became a mild throb. He struggled to his feet, and made it, albeit still a little wobbly. He dragged himself over to Alicia and Joshua. Staring at Alicia, he felt a great sadness. 'What had come over her? Why was she doing this?' He wondered sadly.  
  
"Alicia? What are you doing here? I thought you hated the battledome!" a voice exclaimed. Turning around, he saw Teena walking up to Alicia. The Uni's face held a worried frown.  
  
"I changed my mind. Is there a problem?" A distant voice answered. Teena looked at her, puzzled. Chyora too was surprised. Alicia was always the most polite and cordial of people. She was never rude to anyone, least of all her friends. Then, he saw Teena's eyes widen, focusing on something behind him. He saw Alicia stiffen slightly. The officer had stopped scribbling down notes as Joshua's mouth hung open. Everyone else had gone silent too. Wondering what was going on, he turned around.  
  
"Alicia?" He gasped.  
  
~Omigod. That was my longest chapter ever. Hope you all liked it, and don't forget to review! Next chapter coming up: One Double, Big Trouble. BIG hint as to what it will be about. *wink* ~ 


	9. One Double, Big Trouble

~Okay, I need you readers' opinion on this. Would you like l-o-n-g-e-r chapters, or faster chapters? Or do you prefer that they are short, whether I take longer or shorter to write them out? Please tell me in your review.  
  
My heartfelt appreciation goes out to Karigan, KittenGirl555, waterfarie165 and Maggie64 for reviewing my story. You are the best! ~  
  
1 Chapter 9: One Double, Big trouble  
  
  
  
This was not supposed to happen.  
  
There has been a mistake made.  
  
The owner has been released.  
  
A traitor walks free within.  
  
They shall be found out.  
  
The mistake rectified.  
  
The Twice Blessed  
  
Will be mine.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Alicia" He gasped.  
  
There, standing before him was Alicia! But that couldn't be. He turned around. Alicia was there too. He turned again. Alicia was staring at him in surprise. He turned again. Alicia was staring at him with the same expression. It was making him dizzy.  
  
"Well, I'm sure we all want to clear this up. So if you people could move into shelter, perhaps we can start investigating." The officer in charge cleared his throat. Chyora felt a sudden change. It wasn't exactly noticeable, but he felt that something was different.  
  
Everyone seemed to be staring blankly at something. Then a dry voice spoke.  
  
Leave  
  
Everyone turned and left. Teena, Alicia and Alicia seemed about to leave too, but when Chyora looked at them, they were shaking their heads, as if clearing out something.  
  
"Which one of you is Alicia?" Chyora asked, confused. The Neopian Police and the crowd had acted very weird, and it was scaring him. He just wanted to go back to his Neohome and rest with Alicia. The real Alicia.  
  
"I am." They both answered at the same time.  
  
"Well, you can't both be Alicia. Only one of you is real." Teena said, frowning.  
  
"Which one of you supported me in the battledome?" Chyora asked. He was certain that the one who supported him would be the fake. Alicia would have never agreed to it.  
  
"She did." They both said. Chyora groaned inwardly.  
  
"Chyora, I'm going to ask her about the Pound. Remember this, Alicia takes care of the Neopets, I do administration." Teena whispered. He nodded determinedly.  
  
"Okay Alicia. You come up first." Teena pointed to the nearest one.  
  
"What do you do at the Neopian Pound?" Teena asked. "And whisper it to me and Chyora only."  
  
"I take care of the Neopets." She whispered. Chyora heart gave a leap of excitement. She had to be the real Alicia.  
  
Teena turned to the other Alicia and asked the same question.  
  
"I take care of the Neopets of course. You do the administration." She gave a half smile. That went on for a while, with Teena and Chyora throwing every single question they could think of at both Alicias. It was quite late, and the battledome was totally deserted by the time they were done.  
  
"Since quizzing doesn't work, we'll have to try another tactic." Teena muttered in exasperation. Chyora agreed, nodding emphatically. The questioning was going nowhere. Also, he was afraid that whomever that voice had belonged to might return. He didn't want to face it without Alicia.  
  
"Alicia got a scar under her left arm because a Lupe bit her. Let me see it." Teena called. Both Alicia's rolled up their sleeves to reveal an identical mark under their left arm. They tried a few more marks, but it always ended up with both of them having the same mark.  
  
"I know!" Chyora finally exclaimed. He marched up to both Alicias. Scrutinizing them carefully, he searched for a special something. He laid a paw on one of them.  
  
"She's Alicia." He declared.  
  
"Ho…How did you know?" The fake screeched. "It's impossible! I was perfect!" It gave a loud shriek. A bolt of lightning streaked down and struck it. It fell to its knees. Alicia screamed in horror. And horror it was.  
  
The fake's hair caught on fire, burning merrily. The flames burned orange, before changing to an eerie black. Its clothes melted like wax, spreading over the body like a pool of slime. Its body was covered in that ever- shifting black liquid. Drops of liquid that trickled to the ground burned holes in the stone. Its clasped hands shifted and changed into fearsome claws. A long snaky tail extended from the back, lashing about like a whip.  
  
Throughout the transformation, its face always remained the same. Exactly like Alicia's. It removed the cool shades with a paw. Eyes still closed, it got to its feet. Its feet were now hideous manifestations, like those of a demon. Even with its eyes closed, it 'looked' directly at Alicia and Chyora. It bared its teeth, and they were now longer, sharper, much like fangs. And then it finally opened its eyes.  
  
There were its eyes. Black, soulless, empty, bottomless. The only emotion it contained spoke of something more alien than any had ever know. It never blinked, only stared out at the world from behind those black shadows.  
  
As they stared at that abyss that passed for eyes, their minds screamed with horror at the sight before it. They would have died then, for they would not, could not move as the demon came upon them. Teena was there, and she pushed them out of the way. As if awakening from a trance, the veil of horror placed on their minds broke.  
  
"What were you doing back there? You could have been killed." Teen screamed.  
  
"We've got to get out of here. Anything to be away from that…that creature." Alicia shrieked hysterically. Suddenly, there were flames everywhere. It circled them, and the only way not blocked by the flames was through the demon. It gave a loud howl, before charging to attack.  
  
Chyora stood in front ready to defend Alicia. He knew he was no match for the demon, but he could try. He would protect Alicia with his last breath. He threw a snowball at the creature. It didn't even flinch as the snowball exploded harmlessly against its coat. Teena jumped in and kicked hard with her hind legs. It howled in pain, knocked back a few paces.  
  
"Alicia, get on my back! We've got to run!" Teena shouted. Alicia nodded and leaped onto the Uni's back.  
  
"I'll distract it. When you see an opening, rush through." Chyora yelled. Without another word, he attacked the demon. It snarled, digging its feet into the stone floor. Chyora stared back, refusing to be intimidated by it. He thought feverishly for a way in which he could keep the demon distracted.  
  
'That's it!' He thought. He took out his Shoyru sword. Letting out a wild cry, he charged at the demon. It seemed slightly taken aback at Chyora charging at it, but recovered quickly and met him head on. He drove his sword into the demon, but it merely smiled. Reaching down with a claw, it removed the sword, and to his dismay, the sword was melting away. It swung its tail in a smooth arc aiming for his chest. Chyora prepared to catch the tail.  
  
"You'll get burned!" A voice yelled. Chyora jumped back in surprise and the tail missed him by a hair. 'Great. I can't touch it, how am I supposed to fight it?' He thought in despair. He readied himself for another attack. To his relief, he noted that Alicia and Teena had gotten out of the fire ring. That was one less worry to think about.  
  
Suddenly, a figure appeared. It moved with blinding speed, seeming to be punching at the demon. It howled and tried to retaliate, but the figure was moving too fast. Chyora couldn't even see who that was. There was a loud hiss and the figure jumped back.  
  
It was Dr_Death!  
  
His gloves were sizzling and he removed them immediately. They sank into the floor, melting away into a puddle of liquid.  
  
"Dr_Death!" Chyora exclaimed.  
  
"So, you finally came out. All the better. Now I can kill you." The demon snarled. It took a step, before falling back.  
  
"Wha…What did you do?" It croaked.  
  
"You forget. I know more than just a few punches." He replied.  
  
"No. No! Master, help me!" It shrieked. And Chyora felt it again, the slight shifting, the slight change.  
  
You have failed me  
  
That is intolerable  
  
The only option  
  
Death  
  
It gave a wordless scream. Its black coat shifted, and started to shimmer. The flames flickered and died away, and Alicia and Teena could be seen. They too looked at the scene before them, speechless. Dr_Death observed it grimly. He was the only one that seemed not to be horrified or even surprised at what he saw.  
  
"NO! I SHALL NOT BE DENIED!" It screeched. Its shimmering coat started to fade, and everyone knew that meant it was about to die. It rushed forward to attack. Everyone was surprised at the target.  
  
Alicia.  
  
"Alicia, watch out!" Chyora yelled, but it was too late. It had already reached her. It knocked her to the ground, and reached forward with fading claws. Alicia gave a scream. (A/N: Oh, I know that's probably the millionth time she's screaming, but hey, she got scared. People have a tendency to scream when scared.)  
  
"Oh no you don't." Dr_Death said. He went forward and stopped the demon. Surprisingly, the black coat didn't burn him. Perhaps he had already known that. But the demon's tailed lashed out and smashed into Alicia. She literally flew through the air, slamming against a hard stonewall. (A/N: There is such a thing as a stone dome right?)  
  
"Alicia!" Chyora shouted. Boiling with rage, he attacked the fading the demon. He charged at it, punching, kicking, slamming…the demon was not going to have a nice time fading away. It finally gave a loud shriek before fading into nothingness. Chyora finally stopped, panting. He turned to see Alicia.  
  
Teena had already rushed forward to check on Alicia. The Uni nudged her gently with a hoof. She gave a small moan of pain. Dr_Death walked up to her to examine her. Feeling her gently, his eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Oh. My. God. There's blood pouring from her ears and nose. She's got severe internal bleeding. We have to get her to the hospital!" Dr_Death exclaimed.  
  
"But, she might have broken some bones…" Teena interrupted.  
  
"We have to get her to the hospital. Now. If she dies here, no doctor can help her. Help me." Dr_Death ordered. Chyora remained stunned a while longer, before realising he was talking to him. Nodding mutely, he helped Dr_Death put Alicia on Teena.  
  
'Please, please be alright Alicia.' Chyora prayed.  
  
(A/N: I know people might go all scientific and say that people with broken bones can't be moved and all. That's why Dr_Death is there to goad them on. After all, a few more broken bones and some more wounds sure beats dying or bleeding to death.)  
  
To Be Continued…  
  
~ My my, Alicia's really injured. Will she be saved? Hmm, seems like this chapter is longer than my previous one. So it boils down to whether you want long chapters or fast updates. Don't forget to answer. As always, pls review! ~  
  
(A/N: Now, on with the story. Wait, let me guess, you thought I was going to end in a cliffhanger. Nope, I'll give you some more.)  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Location: Neopian Hospital  
  
Time: 3 am in the morning (A/N: the battle ended at 11)  
  
Chyora paced anxiously outside the waiting room. They had been here for over three hours, and there had been no news of her. Only that bright sign that said 'Emergency'. He glared at it, and his tears filled his eyes, blurring the sign into a bright patch of light.  
  
=Flashback=  
  
"We've got a seriously injured person here!" Dr_Death yelled, carrying Alicia in. The doctor there, a green Gelert, eyed the patient.  
  
"Get her to the emergency room stat. We've got a critical case here." He yelled over the usual noise in the hospital.  
  
The last thing that Chyora had heard before the doors had slammed shut was the voice of the doctor.  
  
"This is the worst case I've ever seen, we'll be lucky if she survives till morning…"  
  
=End Flashback=  
  
Dr_Death paced about impatiently in the waiting room. He was extremely worried. So far, no one had rushed up to greet him, or call his name and screaming that he was back. After all, he wasn't exactly popular in Neopia. But it was better that way. He wanted to keep a low profile. Still, every minute he spent outside was dangerous. He wished he could get back as soon as possible. Staring at Chyora, he sighed. The young Shoyru seemed close to tears. He must have gotten close to the owner in the past couple of months. The poor thing, he would go through much more before this was over.  
  
The door finally opened. Chyora was the first to rush forward, and bogged the doctor with his questions. The Gelert looked rather tired and overwhelmed, and Dr_Death decided it best to interfere. Teena thought the same way, and held Chyora back, trying to calm him down.  
  
"How's Alicia?" Dr_Death asked. The Gelert gave a sound that sounded halfway like a sigh of sorrow and halfway like a sigh of relief. Which basically made everyone jittery.  
  
"The patient is in intensive care right now. We had to do three major operations on her in a row. We found severe internal bleeding, a collapsed lung and she had gotten a major concussion to the head." He shook his head, "Not to mention broken bones all over her body. Her condition right now is stable, but she's in a coma."  
  
"A coma? When will she wake up?" Chyora cried.  
  
"We're not sure. That blow to the head was pretty serious. We're not certain whether her brain was damaged. I understand all of you might want to see her right now, but she needs rest. Come back in the morning." He said firmly. Chyora shook free of Teena and stood in front of the doctor.  
  
"Okay doctor, it's 3am in the _morning_, I've come to see Alicia." Chyora said seriously. Dr_Death felt a smile steal its way to his lips. Even the doctor seemed slightly amused. The heavy atmosphere seemed to lift a little. But Chyora had been dead serious about wanting to see Alicia. The Doctor looked at him, before giving a small sigh and nodding.  
  
"Level 3, Room 56" He called after them. They rushed off without another word.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Chyora rushed into the room. He was extremely anxious to see Alicia again. Truth be told, he was feeling quite guilty about the whole incident. If he had never thought about fighting in the battledome, which he thought was stupid now, Alicia would have never gotten hurt.  
  
There she was, lying in the bed. She was deathly pale, with all kinds of tubes sticking out of her body. He wanted to rush forward and hug her, but knew better. You do not go around hugging people in a coma. Big no. He glanced longingly at her. He really wished she would wake up and tell him that everything was okay, and they could go home and play. Like they always used to.  
  
"Don't worry Chyora. Alicia is a good person. Fate wouldn't be so cruel as to take her away." Teena comforted. He nodded sadly, before being led out of the room by Teena. Dr_Death walked up to her frail body, and placed a hand over Alicia, brushing away strands of hair covering her face.  
  
"You must wake up Alicia. Chyora needs you. Now more than ever." He whispered.  
  
1.1 To Be Continued…  
  
~I worked really hard on this chapter. And I finally got it up. It's now about *yawns* 3am here. Hope you enjoyed it. Remember to answer my question. Long chapter, long time, or short chapter, short time. Dun forget to review. Thanks! ^_^ ~ 


	10. Conversation

~ Okay, since people so far want to read the chapters fast, I'll keep them coming. However, they will contain less detail. I figure I can update about once per week. Longer if school bogs me down with work. ~  
  
Thank you for reviewing, waterfarie165, karigan. I really appreciate all the reviews, they give me inspiration to write. For those who want to know, my account's shadowclaw in Neopets. Send me a Neomail anytime. ^_^  
  
1 Chapter 10: Conversation  
  
"Here, we could all use a cup of coffee." Teena said, bringing in three mugs full of hot coffee. Dr_Death took one and drank it down with one gulp. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. It was already 7am in the morning. They had been waiting outside Alicia's room for the past four hours. Doctors went in and out, tending to Alicia. They gave reports, but they were refused entry again. Chyora refused to budge from that area, hoping that Alicia would wake up.  
  
"So um, Chyora, I was kinda wondering…"Teena's voice trailed off as Chyora fixed a hard glare in her general direction. Then he seemed to sag, taking the offered cup of coffee. He took little sips of it, giving an inward sigh of satisfaction as the hot bitter liquid trickled down his throat. He never did use to like coffee, funny how stress affected you. Feeling better, he turned to Teena.  
  
"Sorry…what were you asking me?" He asked.  
  
"I was wondering, back at the…the battledome and all. How did you figure out Alicia was well, Alicia?" Teena asked curiously. She could not for the life of her guess how he had known. She had tried but failed, and she thought that she knew Alicia pretty well.  
  
"…It was…a feeling. I desperately wanted to find Alicia. I felt it burn with me, the desire to find her, to be with her again. She was the best owner I ever had. Only the second yes, but the first one was enough." He blinked, "I'm sidetracking. You see I've been with Alicia for almost a year now. Every time I look at her, I get this feeling. It's…" He shrugged helplessly. "Just a feeling. When that horrid fake came, I was too happy to realise the difference. She had been missing for a week."  
  
"A week?!? She was missing for a week? And you didn't report it?" Teena interrupted. Even Dr_Death, who was trying to seem disinterested, looked up with renewed interest in his eyes. Chyora gave a small nod.  
  
"We… had an argument. I thought she was just angry with me, and avoiding me. After three days, I started looking around, calling her friends. She had to be staying somewhere. But every single one of them said that they hadn't seen Alicia since that day. I was all ready to go to the Neopian police, then that fake appeared. My own…Joshua, that owner we were fighting against had shown up. He wanted a battledome match. Alicia agreed. I should have known then, but like I said, I was just happy to see her again."  
  
"We had that battle in the battledome, and all sorts of strange things happened. Once, there was this huge explosion that threw both of us back. I thought that it was my opponent doing it. I should have realised that if he had done that, the explosion wouldn't injure him as well. He probably thought that I made that explosion. Then there was that mass of snowballs that appeared out of nowhere. If not for healing potions and Neggs, I'm pretty sure I would be the one in hospital right now."  
  
"That's when I came in. I heard that weird things were happening at one battledome arena. I was curious, so I went ahead to check it out. Then I saw Alicia. No, not Alicia, that fake. And well we all know pretty much what happened after that," Teena concluded.  
  
"Teena, what were you doing in the battledome? I'm sure you aren't a fan of the battledome either." Dr_Death asked, and his eyes dwelled on the Uni. She averted her gaze, and although it was pretty hard to see, he could tell that she was blushing.  
  
"Well…um I…um…" She stuttered. Chyora was looking back and forth from the two Neopets, well, Neopians. They were official Neopians, not simply Neopets. He was wondering what was going on. Then it clicked.  
  
"Oh. OH. Oh………" He repeated, "Wait till Alicia hears about this!" He giggled. Teena was now blushing furiously, and her usual bright pink had turned downright to a tomato red. It made a hilarious sight. Dr_Death allowed himself a small laugh. No point being gloomy all the time, and given the circumstances, everyone needed a good laugh.  
  
"Now Dr_Death. I've been meaning to ask you. Where in Neopia did you run off? I thought you had been kidnapped or something. I was practically drowning in all the work at the Pound, and if Alicia hadn't shown up, I think that the Pound would have collapsed." Teena snapped, embarrassed about what had happened. He grew serious again. The grim and almost mean Dr_Death replaced the one that had been laughing just moments ago. And it had been going so well.  
  
"I would like to answer that question, but…"  
  
-CRASH-  
  
There was the sound of something toppling in Alicia's room. The conversation was forgotten, and they ran into the room.  
  
Alicia had awakened. That was the good news. But where there's good news, there's always…  
  
Bad news.  
  
1.1 To Be Continued…  
  
~There, I'm ending the chapter. It's short, but you got some questions that might have popped up answer. Hopefully, they were replaced with new questions. *tee hee* What do you think of the implied reason for Teena's visit to the battledome? You want me to develop more on that? Please review, it would mean a lot to me. Thanks a million. ~ 


	11. Very Bad News

~ Here's the next chapter. Is it the next week already? Pretty fast I should think. Enjoy, and don't forget to review!  
  
I would like to thank karigan, Maggie64, Beta02 and Kittylover for reviewing. That's the most I ever got for one chapter. Whoohoo!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you.  
  
In answer to Kittylover: Well, I guess it comes from an overactive imagination. I sit to write, and the ideas just come and I put them down. The human mind is a wonderful thing. Thanks for the review!  
  
1 Chapter 11: Very Bad News  
  
Alicia awoke to darkness. She had a splitting headache, and her entire body ached. She frowned, trying to remember what had happened. Her memories were all jumbled up. She remembered going to the battledome, and that demon… She shuddered. It still scared her to think about it. She was knocked out, and then, darkness.  
  
She looked around. It was pretty dark here. Where was she? She stretched out an arm.  
  
-CRASH-  
  
She jumped. Her hands had toppled something over. She heard the door open, and some people came in.  
  
"Wh…who's that?" She asked a little shakily.  
  
"Alicia? It's me, Chyora." Chyora smiled in relief. She had woken up.  
  
"Chyora? You're here?" She could recognize the voice, but in the dark she couldn't be sure.  
  
"Yes, what's wrong Alicia?" Chyora could see her turning left and right, before slightly focusing on him.  
  
"Nothing. Just…just turn on the lights will you?" She requested.  
  
"Turn on the lights?" Chyora asked, puzzled.  
  
"Yeah, I can't see you in the dark." She snapped testily. There was a startled gasp. Alicia whipped her head to the new sound.  
  
"Is there someone else here too?" Alicia asked.  
  
Teena covered her mouth in horror. Chyora was trembling in shock. Dr_Death himself was muttering several oaths. They watched as Alicia swiveled her head left and right, her eyes searching for them, never finding them.  
  
"Just turn on those lights now please!" Alicia yelled in frustration. Light switches couldn't be that hard to find. She stumbled out of her bed. But she was a smart girl, in her heart she knew what had happened. She felt around the room, determined to find that switch.  
  
"Alicia…" Chyora whispered, his mind not fully comprehending what was happening. Alicia toppled over a chair, sprawling on the ground. Dr_Death rushed forward to help her, lifting her to her feet gently.  
  
"Oh god. I'm blind aren't I? This place isn't dark. I can't see. I can't see!" As soon as she was helped to the bed, she leaned against the wall, holding her knees to her chest. Her tears flowed freely down her cheeks, as she shook herself, all the time repeating the word, "I'm blind…"  
  
"Doctor! Doctor! God, you have to help us!" Teena cried, running out of the room to get help. Chyora was still stunned by what had happened. Several doctors rushed in, pushing all three of them out. They were to remain outside for some time.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Dr_Death looked about gravely. There was now a new complication. Alicia had been made blind. He wondered whether the doctors would be able to treat her. He hoped they could. Shoyru Day was not too far away. He would have to make things clear soon.  
  
Teena paced back and forth, extremely anxious, to be blind was a horrible fate. She had seen her share of injured Neopets, many could not stand the world of darkness, and had killed themselves. She could do nothing, but only imagine the horror of being blind.  
  
Chyora was in a stunned stupor. He said nothing, did nothing, only staring at the ground, his wings drooped around him forlornly. If a bomb had dropped down next to him, he wouldn't have noticed, so deep in thought he was. A doctor came out, and Chyora rushed towards him, bombarding him with questions.  
  
"Please…calm down youngster. The patient is fine. But we won't be able to find out what's wrong with her eyes until some tests. You may go inside and see her now." The doctor shook his head and walked away. Teena rushed in, followed by a frowning Dr_Death, and finally by a downcast Chyora.  
  
Alicia lay on her bed, doing nothing. She didn't move when the doctors examined her. Over and over, she heard a voice echoing in her head. She was blind. She was blind. She barely noticed when the doctors left. Nothing mattered anymore, she couldn't see.  
  
"Alicia, are you okay?" She heard a voice calling her from a distance. She didn't bother to answer.  
  
"Alicia?" The same voice called. She could hear them approaching her bed. She jerked back when she felt something touch her.  
  
"Go away."  
  
"Alicia, please, we want to help you."  
  
"You can't help me. Now go away." She answered dully. She heard someone burst into tears. 'Good, maybe they'll leave me alone now.' She thought.  
  
"Alicia. Don't do this." Another voice said. This one was deep and raspy. She closed her unseeing eyes.  
  
"Go away. Please." She pleaded. She didn't want them to see her cry. There was some mumbling, and she heard the sound of the door opening and closing. She listened a while longer, before breaking down and sobbing.  
  
1.1 To Be Continued…  
  
~Another chapter by yours truly. That was kinda sad. Alicia's blind… Will she get better? And how about Shoyru Day? It's coming in *gasp* three weeks time. Will everything be out by then? Find out in upcoming chapters. As always review! ~ 


	12. Facing Reality

~I'm sooo sorry!!! I was really busy, so this chapter's up late. This is the chapter for two weeks though. ~  
  
Thank you waterfarie165, CobrallMaster and karigan for your reviews.  
  
Answer to CobrallMaster's review: Sorry, I haven't heard of that story. Could you mail me or put it in your review and tell me what it is? Thanks.  
  
Chapter 12: Facing Reality  
  
Dr_Death stared at the scene before him. Teena was sobbing at the news, trying her best to comfort Alicia. Chyora remained silent and moody. He had said little after Alicia had gone blind, and nothing after the news. Alicia seemed to have given up, and remained unresponsive to whatever words Teena said.  
  
=Flashback=  
  
Dr_Death patiently waited for the doctor to come out with the test results. Teena was fretting about it, and was biting her hooves. It took her several minutes before she calmed down enough to stop biting her hooves, but she still looked nervously at the door, willing it to open. Chyora was most worrisome. He had been keeping silent, and even now, a week later, he had done nothing. All their time had been spent with Alicia. Teena had to tend the Pound, but Dr_Death blatantly refused to go back.  
  
Now, they were waiting again. The door opened.  
  
This time, Teena rushed up, almost knocking the poor doctor over in her eagerness.  
  
"How is it? What's wrong with her? Can you help her?" Teena rushed. Then, like realising her mistake, she calmed down, allowing the doctor to breath. The doctor looked at her solemnly.  
  
"We tested her for everything. All results were negative. We don't know how to help her." Dr_Death was startled. They didn't know what was wrong with Alicia? How could it be? Turning to see Chyora, he saw that the Shoyru had basically turned to stone. Looking at him, Dr_Death was shocked to see the coldness in Chyora's eyes. It was almost as if he was trying to distance himself from the situation.  
  
"And…I'm afraid you have to take her home. If we can't do anything for her, we have to let her go. The hospital is already understaffed. Please understand." At those words, Chyora had run out of the room.  
  
=End Flashback=  
  
They were in the Neohome. Alicia's Neohome. Alicia lay in bed, her unseeing eyes staring up at the ceiling. Teena was sobbing, trying her best to comfort her. But her words slid of Alicia like water off glass. Chyora was sitting in the room, silent and cold.  
  
"Leave me alone. Please." Alicia's voice sounded. Chyora immediately got up and left the room. Dr_Death motioned for Teena to leave, but stayed in the room himself. He remained silent, hoping Alicia wouldn't notice.  
  
"I know you're still in here. Leave." Alicia's cold voice said again. So much for that idea. Dr_Death looked up in surprise.  
  
"How…" Dr_Death uttered. Alicia gave a harsh laugh.  
  
"I heard your breathing Dr_Death."  
  
"And…"  
  
"Your voice isn't exactly the common type either."  
  
"But…"  
  
"Plus I heard your brother speaking."  
  
"When…"  
  
"I was kidnapped and your brother saved me."  
  
"What…"  
  
"I'm not interested in sharing details, Troy."  
  
That shut Dr_Death up. He had been gaping, his mouth wide open, his eyes growing rounder and rounder and wider and wider as his mouth started question he didn't manage to complete before Alicia answered, getting rid of that question, but replacing it with hundreds more. And she knew his name! Her voice startled him out of his thoughts.  
  
"It looks exactly when I was kidnapped. All dark. No light anywhere. I couldn't see a thing. Only black darkness." Dr_Death didn't say a word, hoping she would continue.  
  
"Then Tyro came. He was a sweet guy, much nicer than you. You're just plain weird." Alicia gave a laugh. A genuine laugh. "Okay, maybe not weird, just that you project the image of 'weird tough guy you don't want to mess with'. He led me out of the place."  
  
"Then, the battledome. I went there, he told me I could find you there. Then the battle. That horrid fake. Then darkness again. Now and forever more." Alicia stopped, and her tears flowed once more. Dr_Death felt slightly awkward, and placed a hand on her gingerly, hoping to comfort her.  
  
"I'm sorry." Was all he said.  
  
"You don't have to be. It's not your fault." Alicia answered. She tried to get up, and he moved to help her.  
  
"No," She said firmly, biting her lip, "I want to at least be able to do this." Dr_Death stepped back as she struggled to sit up, without knocking anything over. Then, she stretched her arms before her, and slowly placed her feet on the ground. Walking unsteadily, she tried to navigate herself to the door, while Dr_Death watched, ready to help if needed.  
  
She mentally pictured how her room looked like. She was on her bed. Her dressing table was right beside the bed. Putting down her hand, she could feel the smooth wood under her fingers. She rubbed her legs over the carpeted floor, and took a step forward in the darkness. She paused. She walked until she felt the end of the dressing table.  
  
Thinking, she remembered that it was only a few more steps to the door. She placed her hand on the wall, letting the coolness of the material spread to her palm. She took another unsteady step, and another, and another.  
  
She felt the door, the special patterns that had been engraved on it. Feeling about, she found the doorknob. The icy metal chilled her skin. She turned, and opened the door, ready to face whoever was outside…  
  
Teena head shot up when the door opened.  
  
"How is sh…" She found herself speechless when she saw Alicia, instead of Dr_Death.  
  
"Teena? Is that you?" Alicia asked. Teena nodded, then realising she couldn't see, answered loudly.  
  
"Yes. It's me, Teena." Alicia moved towards the voice, and surprised Teena by touching her shoulder. Overwhelmed with mixed emotions, Teena pulled Alicia into a tight hug. Alicia returned the embrace, glad for some physical contact.  
  
"Oh Alicia…what will you do?" Teena despaired.  
  
"Don't worry Teena. I can survive. It…it isn't that bad." Alicia tried to smile, hoping that Teena would see. She wished she could see her reaction, if only to find a way to comfort her. Then, she remembered another important person. Or rather, a very important and beloved Neopet. She gently let Teena go.  
  
"Chyora? Are you here?" Alicia felt about hesitantly. She knew she had probably hurt his feelings. He was a sensitive creature, a little proud, but soft at heart. She had seen through him on his first day. But she hadn't minded, she was happy to have known one such as Chyora. She hoped that he didn't feel too bad. She stiffened slightly when Teena touched her. Then, she felt herself being pushed, and soon her hands came in contact with a coat of warm fur.  
  
She felt him, reforming his head, his ears, his wings... Then, she simply held him, as a mother would hold a child, the simple act of touch acting as comfort. Then, she felt the liquid drops on her arms. Reaching up, she tried to brush his tears off. Chyora's paw caught hers, and held it instead.  
  
"Don't cry Chyora."  
  
"I'm not crying." He sniffed.  
  
"It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay." Alicia murmured softly, stroking him gently. Chyora snuggled up to her, almost like before, and fell asleep peacefully in her arms.  
  
~ Oh well. That's it. Alicia seems to be dealing with the situation. I dunno. Do you want her to get her eyesight back? I have several ideas, but I would like your input. Review please! (Two weeks to Shoyru Day ^^) ~ 


	13. Author's Note

**Author's Note:**

This is to let everyone know that my computer crashed. I have just gotten my computer back, and it is going to take more than a little bit of time before I get organised again. After that, I still have to get down to writing the story. I'm sorry for all of that. But I promise to write a really long chapter like never before to make up for it. Please don't give up on this story, I'll get around to posting another chapter as soon as I can. First, I have to sort out everything in my computer. Ciaoz.


	14. Revelations-Part 1

~I'm up another chapter. Yay! Let's see, I can't decide how many more chapters there will be. I do know that the climax will probably be at Shoyru Day. (obviously) That means me writing about the next two weeks. Let's see how long I can drag this out. ^_^ ~ 

_As you all might know, my computer crashed not so very long ago. It took me ages to get reorganized and to do my stuff. I finally got down to writing all of this. Hope you didn't get too impatient._

Thank you Zimmy Kid, waterfarie165, CobrallMaster and karigan for your reviews! Luv ya all. I'm very happy with your reviews, it really spurs me on. I can't thank you enough. 

Answer to CobrallMaster's review: Well, that was written before I was born. Heh. Interesting summary. I never read that book though. To Alicia, I was merely imagining how it must be like to be blind. Perhaps there isn't that much different. Thanks for the info though. 

**Chapter 13: Revelations - Part 1**

When Chyora awoke, it was already late evening. He felt so comfortable, he didn't want to get up. Sneaking a glance up, he saw Alicia, eyes closed, leaning against the sofa. He felt a twinge of sadness. He hoped that it would not be permanent, this loss of sight. He sincerely hoped that she would recover. 

"Chyora? Are you awake?" Alicia asked, not opening her eyes. Chyora sat up in surprise. 

"How did you know?" She laughed, and that sound was music to his ears. 

"Silly boy, I could hear you. And feel you. I can feel you move very well when you're on my lap." She smiled, "Now get off me before I get a cramp." 

"Oops. Sorry." He grinned sheepishly, flopping down on the other side of the sofa. Alicia got up and stretched. Then, she dug around her pockets. Finally finding what she sought, she held out the cool shades. She put them on, before turning to Chyora again. 

"I think Teena is cooking dinner. I have no faith in Troy's cooking skills." 

"Troy?" 

"I'll explain later." 

When they went to the kitchen, true enough, Teena was cooking dinner. The wonderful smells of the cooking foods wafted through the air, making everyone's mouth water. 

"No stealing!" A sharp voice scolded. 

"Why Troy, couldn't stand waiting for me to eat?" Alicia teased. 

"I will always wonder how you know who is doing what." Dr_Death answered in awe. 

"Dinner's almost ready. Shoo away to the dining room, and the food will be served shortly. Now scat." Teena ordered. They went into the neat and cozy dining room. It was furnished simply, yet had a certain elegance to it. 

"You have good taste Alicia." Dr_Death observed. 

"Thank you." She answered simply. She longed to be able to see again. She could vaguely remember the way she had designed and furnished the room. Teena came in and interrupted, the food being spread on the table. 

"Let's eat!" Chyora cried. They sat themselves, and soon the only sounds were that of chewing and shifting utensils. Alicia finished first, and remembered a little something. She called for the robot in the room. Whispering some orders into it, the robot rushed off to follow. 

"What did you say Alicia?" Teena asked curiously. Alicia merely smiled. Soon, the rest finished eating, and several helpful robots cleared the plates away. 

"You know, I never knew you were this rich Alicia." Teens said thoughtfully. 

"Does it matter? I'm still Alicia, whether rich or poor. Hold a minute, it's coming." 

"What?" 

That question was soon answered when the robots came in carrying trays full of desserts. Sweets, ice cream, pastries, cookies, jellies...everyone was amazed at the variety. 

"I hope you enjoy them. Many are delicacies from Neopia, but I made a few of them myself. I kept them, to be used for special occasions. I hope you enjoy them." The desserts were served. Chyora had seen them before, so it didn't surprise him, but he had to admit that there were a lot of delicious desserts. He searched a while, before finding his favorite one; chocolate coated mint ice cream. He took a sip of raspberry fizzle before taking a big bite of the dessert. It tasted as good as he had remembered. 

Teena too looked about the trays of dessert. She did posses a sweet tooth, but had seldom indulged in it. Now, she almost felt like she was in heaven, the scent of chocolate was almost overpowering. She decided to first try out a tart. It was a lovely flavor, strawberry and melon. The jam stuck to her teeth, but she got rid of it without difficulty. When that was done, she reached for a milk chocolate Jetsam. Munching on it happily, she was lost in her heaven of dessert. 

Dr_Death was stunned to say the least. While he knew that Alicia was a good person for Chyora to be with, he had never known she would have that much financial security. He hesitated, before reaching almost modestly for some gum. Popping it slowly into his mouth, he chewed carefully, almost as if inspecting it for something. It was bland, with a slight trace of lemon. He continued chewing, as the flavor became stronger and stronger until the sourness almost made him spit it out. That was something new on the Neopian market. {'Chew Flews' - each chew brings out the flavor.} He took a banana milkshake to dampen the taste, before swallowing. 

(A/N: Perhaps you should know I practically made up all the desserts, with some exceptions that were borrowed from Neopets. So don't go to the shop wizard typing Chew Flew ~_^) 

Alicia waited a while, trying her best to hear where the trays were placed. The clatter of glass on the marble table was enough. She calmly reached out, and took the first thing her hand felt. It happened to be a piece of toffee. She sucked on it contentedly, listening for what the others were doing. She could smell all the dessert, and they had never smelt better in her entire life. As soon as she finished her toffee, she decided to ask questions. 

"Dr_Death," Though she couldn't see, she felt him turn up to look at her. "I would like to ask you questions." 

"Go on." He answered, nodding, more out of habit than need. 

"Well, I would like to know more about Chyora. I know there's more to him than meets the eye." She said honestly. 

"I did hope you would ask. I was meaning to tell you, but the situation got dangerous. I had only just given Chyora away when I was attacked. I managed to fight them off." A faint smile came to his face "I'm not a feeble old doctor, who is mean just for kicks, contrary to popular belief. But I knew I couldn't stay in the open, I had to hide. I'm sorry Teena, but since you didn't know anything, they were sure to leave you alone. I decided it best to just disappear after being attacked." 

"You better be sorry." She retorted indignantly. "If not for Alicia, I would have needed to apply for a CW, and you know what kind of people they are. Most of them would throw a Neopet in the cage and only remember it when it starts to stink up the area." 

"I remember that experience Teena," He replied dryly. "Needless to say it was not more pleasant for me. Back to the point. I hid out in the battledome, because it was the safest area. Just a few changes, a bit of cover-up, and no one who saw me would look at me twice. With the amount of people coming in and out of the battledomes, it's gonna be hard to notice little old me." 

"Still you wrote some stuff for me. Strange riddles and words. I couldn't understand." 

"I didn't really write that. The poem is a prophecy handed down from twins to twins. I passed it over to you, because I was certain I had finally found the one who would fulfill the prophecy. There are another two lines to begin it too. 

_Myliern so devia   
Cryla tore no fatom_

It means: 'one who owns him shall truly see' 

I was hoping it meant that the owner would be able to see what was the meaning behind the prophecy." 

"I'm still as confused as ever. I have no idea what it means." 

"Do you still have the paper with you?" Alicia nodded, and pointed to a room. "It's kept there I think. It's the store room. Third drawer from the right." Dr_Death got up and took the papers. He read it out loud again. 

"Bring anything to mind?" 

"Not particularly." Dr_Death gave a long sigh, and tucked the papers into his pocket. 

"Back to the topic please. What about me being different?" Chyora demanded. The two of them turned to him, startled. They had actually forgotten about him. 

"I suppose you have a right to know too. You are a Twice Blessed. Hold on. I'll explain myself. A Twice Blessed is a very rare Neopet. Reputed to have great powers, and a Neopet like no other. I'm getting ahead of myself. Okay, let me tell you a bit more about Twice Blessed. They have to be a pure breed. In that, all those flashy colors that Neopia has been coming up with, with all the paintbrushes and stuff...well, it isn't natural. Neopets colors only come in blue, yellow, red and green. There's the occasional purple too, but you get the idea. That's not the point. Well, just know that painted Neopets are unnatural and a purely cosmetic thing. I'm not against it or anything, it's okay for some people, but painting is like makeup. Only longer lasting. A Twice Blessed is a completely natural Neopet. No speck of paint anywhere along its line. Also, they have to be the same species and the same color to mate together as well." 

"Those are very strict conditions." Teena commented. 

"Yes, which is why a Twice Blessed is so rare. Also, the parent, grandparent and great-grandparent had to have all been born on a particular day. Depending on the species. In this case, Chyora's parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were all born on Shoyru day. As to Chyora, he would be the only egg in his mother's nest. Incubation would take the maximum of thirty days, and the egg hatched at exactly midnight; the point between the day before and Shoyru day. For Chyora, he was born right at the moment April started, and Shoyru day started too. Which means his potential has tripled thanks to the merging of the powers of the date, day, time, moment and significance. There are many more factors, but I don't think you would care for the elaboration." 

"You're right." Teena finally managed, "I wouldn't." 

"So that's what a Twice Blessed is. The name Twice Blessed is does have significance though. Twice Blessed through his/her parents. Twice Blessed for his/her birthday falls on the day which all of his/her kind celebrates as well. Twice Blessed for his/her birth has blessed the world, while cursing the under realms." Dr_Death finally stopped speaking, panting a little. He took a drink of lemon tea. He was a little tired. It took a lot of effort to remember everything, and explain it as clearly and simply as possible. 

"Why don't we go to the study room? There are a lot of sofas there, we'll be a lot more comfortable, and I'm sure the robots would be glad to make us some tea or coffee. The desserts can also be brought into the room. You can continue the explanation when we get there." Alicia interrupted. Dr_Death shot her a look of pure gratitude, which he hoped she could feel if not see. It would be nice, the dining room though nice, was practical and seating was less comfortable than he would have liked. He had a long explanation to give, and had not relished spending all that time talking in a wooden chair. 

Teena shrugged, and brought along several plates of goodies. Plunking herself down on the comfy sofa, she chewed some cookies thoughtfully. Dr_Death had given her a lot of food for thought. What he was saying...was amazing. 

Chyora merely brought along his drink of raspberry fizzle. A few robots followed behind obediently, carrying trays of desserts. They set the trays down on the nearby table as Chyora sank into the plush sofa. He took a sip of fizzle, allowing it to burn slightly. He was processing all the information he had received. Twice Blessed! To think he was that. He was confused, what did he feel? Happy? Sad? Disappointed? 

Dr_Death waited for the rest to enter, before offering to guide Alicia to the room. 

"Thank you." She said, and accepted his outstretched hand. 

"No, I should thank you. How did you know I was tired?" 

"Actually, I was just following my intuition. I trust it." 

"Up for a bite of chocolate?" 

"Sure." Dr_Death offered her a box of chocolates, and allowed her to settle down on a sofa just next to Chyora. He himself sat next to her and Teena. 

"Let us continue then." 

~Hey, this is getting a bit long, so I'm splitting this up. This is part one. More explanations and revelations coming your way in part two. At least I finished writing. It was taking forever. I think you pple would be impatient for me to write. Well, ciao now. I'm glad I finally wrote another chapter out. Dun forget to review! ~ 


End file.
